The Detroit Lions came into 2011 carrying the momentum and promise from last year's season-ending four-game winning streak, and the early returns this year bolstered the "Anything is possible" attitude. A 5-0 start out of the gate combined with the slow starts of several would-be NFC playoff contenders made the playoffs look like more of an eventuality than a possibility. More recently, the Lions have exposed a few chinks in their armor, losing three of the last four games to playoff contenders, 2 of those against the Lions likely wild card competition.
Detroit's success this season has been built around a much-improved defense allowing 20.4 points per game, good for 12th in the NFL. The pass defense has been particularly stingy ranking 4th in the league in yards allowed. The Lions have also been regularly winning the turnover battles with a +8 turnover margin, again ranking 4th in the league, though last week was a much different story as the offense lost two fumbles and four interceptions.
The offense has proved potent at times when everyone has been healthy, but that hasn't been the case of late. Jahvid Best continues to rest with concussion issues from the October 16th game against San Francisco and the running game has been virtually non-existent since he last played. The team as a whole is averaging 28 points per game, 4th in the NFL but most of that success has been dependent on Matthew Stafford staying upright and healthy and connecting with his talented stable of pass targets. The pass game ranks ninth in the league in yards per game while the rushing attack rests down at 27th, only ahead of rushing powerhouses Seattle, Cleveland, NY Giants, Washington and Tennessee. Last week against Chicago, the Lions fell behind early, abandoned the run game and relied on Stafford's injured and gloved throwing hand to get them back in it, and we all know the outcome there.
The upcoming schedule for Detroit is brutal, closing the season against playoff contending teams in five of the last seven games, including undefeated rival Green Bay twice, with a combined record of 38-26. The Lions are currently 2-3 against teams above .500 and 4-0 against lesser fare. So far, it appears the Leos are feasting on the lambs of the league and struggling against top competition. They are now entering must win territory at a crucial point in the season with the postseason on the line. They have two very winnable games against 2-7 teams at home, Carolina and Minnesota, sandwiched around 2 tough match-ups, Thanksgiving day at home against 9-0 Green Bay and at 7-3 New Orleans in week 13 over the next four weeks. Detroit must come away with at least two wins in that stretch to have a reasonable shot at a playoff berth, as they close with Oakland, San Diego and Green Bay, all three playoff contenders, in the last weeks of the season.
Detroit will need its full complement of talent healthy and productive. Best made an appearance at yesterday's practice in what we hope was a sign that he is not far from returning to action. Stafford will again don the heartburn inducing gloves to protect his fractured index finger on Sunday against Carolina. Stud wideout Calvin Johnson has passed his concussion tests and has been practicing as it is likely he will be a full go this weekend. It appears punter Ryan Donahue will continue to miss time as the team signed veteran Ben Graham to the squad this week to challenge Robert Malone for the role. Defensive lineman Willie Young, safety Amari Spievey and defensive ends Lawrence Jackson and Kyle VandenBosch missed Wednesday's practice but all appear to be in line to play on Sunday. Fallout from last week's tussle with Chicago has been mild so far as only VandenBosch has been assessed a fine, $7,500 for a late hit.
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